Blizzard Entertainment, via a message board post by its community director, has announced that World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade will be hitting stores in January 2007.

"We appreciate the enthusiasm surrounding World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade, and we’re excited about putting the finishing touches on all of the new content," said Mike Morhaime, president and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. "We feel confident that the extra time spent polishing the game will result in the high-quality experience that our players expect and deserve."

Beta for The Burning Crusade began this month, and RPGFan staff will have its preview up soon, so keep your eyes peeled!